cbb11/23

cbb11/23 709 Illinois State -6.5 This game was already hit early this morning. I still like it at -6.5. This Illinois Chicago team is a mess. They lost to Chicago State in a closed scrimmage by 23 and also lost to Lewis in an exhibition game. This is like a homecoming game for many of the Redbirds' players. It should be a pro Illinois st crowd. Below is some information that I have gathered on this game. The Redbirds also could get a boost from ISU students from the Chicago area who are home for Thanksgiving break. The crowd at UIC Pavilion was split about 50-50 when ISU played there in December 2006. “Obviously we’re making Chicago a high priority in recruiting,” said Jankovich. “We also have a lot of alumni there. Sometimes it’s not that easy getting home-and-home series. UIC was good enough to agree to another (two-year) series. : The UIC coach knows the Chicago Redbirds will treat the game as a personal homecoming. “I anticipate those guys coming home and trying to show the hometown they’re better than they were before they left,” said Collins. “No one can question they’re going to try and play well here.”

good stuff Eddie

Hardly a endorsement for UIC here UIC played its first game against an NCAA Division I opponent on Wednesday night at Central Michigan, and lost 67-48. The Chippewas came into the game having split games versus Princeton and Ferris State, so they're not exactly top-notch competition. The Flames offense made Central Michigan's defense look like world-beaters. In the first half UIC (0-1) had exactly 0 field goals from inside the two-point arc and trailed 39-22 at halftime. The Flames' first two-point field goal was made by Brad Birton with 19:07 remaining in the second half. Robo Kreps was the only Flames player in double figures with 15 points, but it took him 16 shots. Other marks of futility? UIC was outrebounded by 20. Also, .76 points per possession (48/63) is just astoundingly bad. That's like NJIT in 2009 bad. (And that's a level no team wants to be at ever again.) The effective field goal percentage of 38.4 percent is actually below NJIT's level last season. This was a game that redefined offensive ineptitude. I was at the Northwestern game vs. Butler, so I didn't get to peek in on this game, but from the box score it does appear that Jimmy Collins still doesn't have any idea what he has with this Flames squad. 13 players played at least 5 minutes as Collins continues with the lineup strategy of Jeremy Buttell, Kreps and three other guys.